Windsor Spitfires 2021-22 Season Thread

[RayzorIsDull]

Well that was another ugly game. Funky ICE COLD Medina needs to get it figured out fast. Need a big save once in a while. Signs of life from the offense. Defense getting caught pinching when there is nobody back to cover just in case. Overall passing needs to be quicker and crisper. Too many lobs across the ice that are intercepted. Johnston looked like the beast I expected in the 3rd. Russians show great promise. Overall as a team, hoping they straighten it out quick by Thursday. It starts counting.

That was pretty ugly, you're not going to win games giving up a PP goal, 2 SHG and lets not forget the 6th goal which was pretty ugly as well.

 

[2023]

Well that was another ugly game. Funky ICE COLD Medina needs to get it figured out fast. Need a big save once in a while. Signs of life from the offense. Defense getting caught pinching when there is nobody back to cover just in case. Overall passing needs to be quicker and crisper. Too many lobs across the ice that are intercepted. Johnston looked like the beast I expected in the 3rd. Russians show great promise. Overall as a team, hoping they straighten it out quick by Thursday. It starts counting.

Yeah the - 3 looks good

 

[hockeylegend11]

Several thoughts on this one...

- Let's start with the Russians... Sobolev is a lot of fun to watch. He hits like a truck, pinches offensively, and seems to know his way around the ice. Baisov has good speed and had a few chances, but wasn't as noticed. He also got hurt at one point; kneed by Ty Tullio, who was promptly tossed. Baisov went down at center, immediately grabbing his knee. Props to Sobolev for over to help. Baisov did return, though, and played fine.
- Offensively, the Spitfires peppered Leaver, but the shots were more quantity than quality. He made a few great saves, without question, but you have to find ways to challenge him.
- On the other hand, the Gens took advantage of every chance they had, including TWO BREAKAWAYS for goals on the Tullio major. That simply cannot happen.
- The Spitfires' PP looks lost. They have the talent but still have a long way to go.
- I don't think the Spits played poorly, at least offensively, they just weren't creative enough and the Gens put up a wall around the net.
- Defensively, Oshawa just rolled them, taking every advantage that they could around Medina and Downey.
- The Gens' speed was too much at times and the Spits couldn't figure it out.
- Medina was... yeah. While I don't blame him for the SH goals, he just didn't have it. Downey played better and kept it somewhat respectable. Medina needs to be better, though. His preseason has been anything but stellar and, with the games now counting, he has to figure it out.

Agree with most of what you wrote,Spits certainly struggled with their special teams in most of their exhibition games,allowing 11PP goals and 3 shorties of the 31 goals allowed d over their 6 games,on their way to their 2 and 4 record for the exhibition season.
Medina other then game 1 vs Sarnia really struggled in his other 3 outings as he finished with a GAA average of 6.11
His partner Kyle Downey despite allowing 1 bad in the 3rd had a decent camp overall as his average finished at 3.70 in 4 appearances.
No doubt the defense will look different once Henault, Robinson and Renwick get into the lineup, hopefully all 3 Thursday in the season opener vs Sarnia.
I too liked the efforts from Danill Sobolev and Aaval Baisov, their 1st on home ice and think both will be just fine this coming year.
Getting Will Cuylle back will certainly help moving forward, expect a huge season from him
No doubt Medina for one has to show he is the number 1 guy,Savard will give him some runway no doubt,curious to see how much.
Like I said getting the 3D and Cuylle into the lineup should make a difference, coaches will work with the guys re special teams with everyone here and we will see where it goes.
Last exhibition season in 2019 that we had, Spits went 5-1.

 

[OHLTG]

No doubt the defense will look different once Henault, Robinson and Renwick get into the lineup, hopefully all 3 Thursday in the season opener vs Sarnia.

The Henault stuff is odd - there's next to nothing anywhere online about his time with the Ducks' camp except for him being on the roster. He hasn't played in any preseason games that I can find, either. They have two games prior to our home opener. Maybe he gets into one of those and then flies back?

 

[Kenney Mann]

I heard the crowd was really sparse is this true???

 

[OHLTG]

I heard the crowd was really sparse is this true???

I'd guess around 1,000? Maybe a bit more?

 

[windsor7]

I'd guess around 1,000? Maybe a bit more?

Looked about right.
And even less after Gens scored the 2 short handed goals on the same spits pp.

 

[Kenney Mann]

Looks like some growing pains between new coach and rookies. Patience needed...

 

[2023]

Looks like some growing pains between new coach and rookies. Patience needed...

We need the team back.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

It looks like Spits alumni Yegor Afanasyev is poised to make the Predators.

 

[Kenney Mann]

We need the team back.

Agreed...but lets hope Savard allows more creative play than just sticking to systems like TL preached. Let the player use his hockey IQ once in a while.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Agreed...but lets hope Savard allows more creative play than just sticking to systems like TL preached. Let the player use his hockey IQ once in a while.

I would hope so but he can only do that if he has the roster to do that with. I have no doubt he has a few of those guys but without Foudy there's an absolute huge void that isn't going to get filled through the draft or free agent signing.

 

[FiveHoleo]

Agreed...but lets hope Savard allows more creative play than just sticking to systems like TL preached. Let the player use his hockey IQ once in a while.

Once in a while fine, but we got burned plenty by being creatively aggressive last night and nobody covering for it. You need some system just so when the russian defenceman decides to move up in the play he isn't constantly burned for it like he was last night. A system on the power play would be nice too, what a shitshow. Medina has been poo but when you're giving away breakaways like halloween candy it doesn't much matter. Not a great exhibition season at all from the team, at least Zito spared the team from being completely satisfied with all of the losing. I'm certain things will get better when the veteran defencemen return and Cuylle hits the ice, but so far it has been rough.

 

[Kenney Mann]

Once in a while fine, but we got burned plenty by being creatively aggressive last night and nobody covering for it. You need some system just so when the russian defenceman decides to move up in the play he isn't constantly burned for it like he was last night. A system on the power play would be nice too, what a shitshow. Medina has been poo but when you're giving away breakaways like halloween candy it doesn't much matter. Not a great exhibition season at all from the team, at least Zito spared the team from being completely satisfied with all of the losing. I'm certain things will get better when the veteran defencemen return and Cuylle hits the ice, but so far it has been rough.

I'm not saying throw out the systems just sayin how many times I saw whenTL was at the helm a player pass the puck when he had an open shot BC he was following the system.Allow for quick decision making its not always roses.

 

[ohloutsider]

Windsor scheduled to play Flint in Flint Wednesday Nov 3rd. That is only a month away. Wonder if the league has gained approval for these teams to cross the border or is this going to throw a monkey wrench into the schedule. Don't think the border will be open by then.

 

[HockeyPops]

Same way we got to 50% capacity. Wait until the NHL deals with the border and then just piggyback on their exemption.

 

[windsor7]

Windsor scheduled to play Flint in Flint Wednesday Nov 3rd. That is only a month away. Wonder if the league has gained approval for these teams to cross the border or is this going to throw a monkey wrench into the schedule. Don't think the border will be open by then.

I agree.
Dont see border opened.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Same way we got to 50% capacity. Wait until the NHL deals with the border and then just piggyback on their exemption.

Some teams from Canada have already played exhibition games in the USA. No teams from Ontario have but the season starts next week.

 

[HockeyPops]

Some teams from Canada have already played exhibition games in the USA. No teams from Ontario have but the season starts next week.

Any CHL teams? Not that I am aware of.

 

[hockeylegend11]

It looks like Spits alumni Yegor Afanasyev is poised to make the Predators.

Great news for him
Not shocked
Finally some news about overager dman Louka Henault who is at Anaheim's training camp on a pro tryout.
He along with 5 other dmen were assigned to San Diego Gulls of the AHL
last night.
A couple of things,Anaheim still has 43 players in camp in including 14 dmen,so one figures 5 or 6 more are going down to the AHL too.
Good for Henault that he didn't get
released.
Also noting Sarnia Sting,Windsor's opponent for the next 2 games,and they knew this was happening ,forward Jacob Perrault who played last year in the AHL under special circumstances like Foudy was sent to San Diego to by Anaheim with Henault.

 

[hockeylegend11]

The Henault stuff is odd - there's next to nothing anywhere online about his time with the Ducks' camp except for him being on the roster. He hasn't played in any preseason games that I can find, either. They have two games prior to our home opener. Maybe he gets into one of those and then flies back?

It was nice to find out something re Henault and so far his bid for a pro contract is alive as he tries out for San Diego of the AHL.
Keep in mind the Mighty Ducks also have an agreement with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL,so Henault could not saying he will wind up there if the San Diego assignment doesn't work.
Windsor sitting and waiting I imagine till more definitive word comes down
As the Spits prepare for Thursday's
season and home opener,Will Cuylle and Dylan Robinson will draw into the lineup, maybe Michael Renwick as well. All 3 will help especially on the backend with Robinson and hopefully Renwick,all 3 will definitely help on the PP and PK,2 areas where the Spits struggled throughout most of the exhibition season.
Medina's goaltending woes other then his 1st outing at Sarnia,compounded things,as I thought rookie Kyle Downey performed pretty well for the most part,one bad goal on Sunday when score was already 5-1 for Oshawa,and a rough start against Sarnia here a couple of weeks agther then that I am satisfied with the 17 year olds continued development.

 

[hockeylegend11]

Getting winger Will Cuylle back from
the Rangers will be huge,expecting great season from him,expect him to play on the 1st unit off the PP,2nd unit of the PK,his regular line and other line placements when neccessary.
Toss in his physicality, hopefully he takes the opportunity to lead this team,could see him named captain.
With him back my lines would be the following in no particular order
Cuylle-Abraham-Maggio
Miedema-Johnston-McDonald
D'amico-Zito-Peer
Birkett-Baisov-O'Flagherty

The 4th line doesn't really have a natural center which is why I put Baisov there,could easily see any one Zito,Johnston, Abraham go and play on that line with Baisov and O'Flaherty, especially if they want to dress 7D some nights which I have no issue with.

 

[hockeylegend11]

Defense will be interesting to start the season, no Henault to start the season, Renwick maybe as well,Robinson back from LA training camp,a dinged up but expected to play Thursday against Sarnia, leaves 6 others to chose from,Ladd who was a -6 in exhibition, except he was a 0 in his last 3 outings,Jodoin who was -4 in exhibition he too was 0 in his last 3 games,and overall looked much better then earlier, 19 year old Spencer Lecot came up from La Salle and filled in admirably was actually a +2 for his 6 games,didn embarrass himself at all ,will probably wind up as the 8th or9th dman depending in eventual status of Henault, probably head back to Jr B.
Rookies Nick Deangelis and Bronson Ride had their moments, I liked Ride overall over Deangelis though I see potential in both,Deangelis was -7 and Ride was -4 in exhibition play
The last man I will talk about is Sobolev who played 2 games,only practiced twice after Montreal sent him back,adjusting to life and hockey in another country with language barriers to overcome, I liked his overall game both offensive and defensive, he is a bit of a gambler,but he moves well and not scared to be physical.
He was a -4 in his 2 games, but I am going overlook most of that at this time,I do think in time he will and is a welcome addition to this team moving forward.
Excluding Henault for the time being,these would be the defense partners
Ladd-Ride
Renwick-Jodoin
Sobolev-Robinson

extra- Deangelis, Lecot(B)

Now if Renwick can't go this weekend put in Deangelis and team him up with Jodoin.

 

[tomschman]

Great news for him
Not shocked
Finally some news about overager dman Louka Henault who is at Anaheim's training camp on a pro tryout.
He along with 5 other dmen were assigned to San Diego Gulls of the AHL
last night.
A couple of things,Anaheim still has 43 players in camp in including 14 dmen,so one figures 5 or 6 more are going down to the AHL too.
Good for Henault that he didn't get
released.
Also noting Sarnia Sting,Windsor's opponent for the next 2 games,and they knew this was happening ,forward Jacob Perrault who played last year in the AHL under special circumstances like Foudy was sent to San Diego to by Anaheim with Henault.

Hopefully, he gets signed and sticks in the AHL or is retuned to Windsor. IMO, it is better for an OA to be in the OHL than the ECHL.

 

[Shortstop]

Assuming Henault comes back......I think the obvious pairings are:
Ladd. Henault
Robinson. Sobolov

Which two are on the third pairing out of the other 4?